New Elkhart company will offer aircraft charters and management

May 24, 2006|By ED SEMMLER Tribune staff writer

ELKHART — Travel Management Co. is opening an aircraft management and charter business at Elkhart Municipal Airport. The newly formed company already has a turboprop and a light jet. It has just started construct-ing a 50,000-square-foot hangar at the airport. The company is investing in excess of $20 million, said Scott Wise, general manager of the busi-ness, who served as chief pilot for CTS Corp. for six years. Forest River founder Pete Liegl is the owner of the business, which will charter to the public and manage aircraft for businesses and individuals. Wise said the company also has ordered a new Hawker jet and it is looking for a Gulfstream. He said the charter business is expanding because passenger airlines have reduced flights and destinations over the past few years. The Elkhart airport was selected because it is centrally located, he added. Read more about this new service in Thursday's South Bend Tribune.